Printing press clamp



Filed Sept. 17. 1956 Patented Feb. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFHC PRINTING PRESS CLAMP Application September 1'7, 1936, Serial No. 101,323

5 Claims. (Cl. 101-394) This invention relates to printing presses of the hand operated type and has for its object to provide a type clamping means for holding in position a series of loose types set in position on a suitable bed which has no side walls to maintain them in position.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improvement on the type of press patented by me August 28, 1934, No. 1,972,020, which is not provided with a clamping means, the details of said press being fully described in said patent. Consequently the parts will not be described as fully as appears in the patent, but only enough to cover the combination between parts of the press and the improved clamp.

A printing press of this character is especially adapted for printing show-case cards, merchandise price cards or the like, wherein the printing type can be quickly set and can be clamped in position sufiiciently firm to permit the printing process.

The objects above set forth are obtained by the means illustrated in the drawing, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a press of the type set forth showing my improvement attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the press shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the type plate used.

Similar reference numerals used throughout the drawing designate like parts.

Referring to the drawing, in designates the bed or base of the press which is provided at one end with a pair of upstanding lugs l l, between which is pivoted a lever l2 to which is attached a suitable platen l3, this being fully shown and described in detail in the above mentioned patent, No. 1,972,020.

Bed plate I0 is adapted to support the type plate M which preferably is provided with a back plate or abutment l5 projected above the upper face of the bed, and said bed is preferably provided with a surface cover of rubber or the like it to provide an anti-slip surface.

When the bed plate is positioned on the base It, the back plate I5 is adjusted closely against the lugs H, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, and this prevents any back sliding of the type bed on the base. After the type plate is positioned as set forth, the type I! is set upon the type plate in the desired lines and separated by suitable spacing bars l8 to form the desired composition of matter. As thus placed, the, type is loosely mounted on the type plate, and to prevent accidental displacement, a clamping means is provided for holding the type snugly together to permit the inking thereof in any suitable manner, and then afterwards to permit an impression to be made on a card or the like.

The clamping means comprise a clamping bar l9 formed of a strip of metal or wood, preferably the latter, which is provided with a slightly concave face 20 and is preferably rigid. This bar I9 is provided with an eye 2! adjacent its ends, and coil springs or tension means 22 are connected at one end to the eyes 2| and to eyes 23 at their other ends fixed in the sides of the type plate as shown clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawing, said springs exerting a tension on bar H) toward the rear end of the device.

Suitably mounted upon the front end of the base I 0 is a type box 24 for convenience only.

It will be understood that base I0 of the device can be made solid or formed open to reduce the weight, as shown in the patent, No. 1,972,020.

The operation of my improvement is as folfows:

Initially the clamping bar i9 is positioned against the front face of the type plate [4 and held in place by the tension of the springs 22, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The type is now set upon the top surface of the type plate in any position desired and can be divided in rows by the spacing blocks if necessary. Then the clamping bar is slightly raised by the fingers of the operator engaging the ends of the bar to permit the bar to snap in position behind the first row of type, when the whole of the type or composition will be clamped into position. It will be observed from inspection of Fig. 2 that the concave face of the bar will engage only the end type of the row with a tendency to press inwardly as well as laterally to thereby press the type more firmly together and prevent spreading.

It will be further understood that the type is inked in any desirable manner, with an ordinary inking roller or the like.

I claim:

1. In a hand printing press of the character described, a base, a type plate supported on said base adapted for the reception of a plurality of type and provided with a rear abutment, and a clamping means embodying a bar secured to said type plate by springs in a position to press the type together against said rear abutment.

2. In a hand printing press of the character described, a base, a type plate supported on said base adapted for the reception of a plurality of type and provided with a rear abutment, and a spring urged clamping means secured to said type plate in a position to press the type together against said rear abutment, said clamping means comprising a bar extending across the width of the press in opposition to said rear abutment.

3. In a hand printing press of the character described, a base, a type plate supported on said base adapted for the reception of a plurality of type and provided with a rear abutment, and a spring held clamping means secured to said type plate in a position to press the type together against said rear abutment, said clamping means comprising a bar extending across the width of the press and connected to the front end thereof by tension springs at each side.

4. In a hand printing press of the character described, a base, a type plate supported on said base adapted for the reception of a plurality of type and provided with a rear abutment, and a spring held clamping means secured to said type plate in a position to press the type together against said rear abutment, said clamping means comprising a bar extending across the width of the press and provided with a concaved rear side which adapts the clamping bar to engage the type at opposite sides of the composition.

5. In a hand printing press of the character described, a base, a type plate supported on said base adapted for the reception of a plurality of type and provided with a rear abutment, and a spring held clamping means secured to said type plate in a position to press the type together against said rear abutment, said clamping means comprising a bar extending across the width of the press and connected to the front end thereof by tension springs at each side, said springs being sufficiently flexible to permit an upward movement of said bar from behind the forward edge of the type plate in an idle position to a clamping position on the face of the typeplate.

SETH Q. KLINE. 

